A top Vladimir Putin crony uses his secret private jet to fly his wife's Corgi dogs around Europe - including to Britain - for competitions because first class is 'too uncomfortable' for them, it has been claimed.

Wealthy Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov already faces controversy over his penthouse flat overlooking the Ministry of Defence in London, and a castle in Austria.

He recently infuriated Russians by appearing to mock the millions of people living in cramped flats measuring only 215 square feet.

But now Mr Shuvalov, nicknamed The Icebreaker, faces a new scandal after a political foe claimed his wife's corgis live a jet-set lifestyle on board his personal Bombardier Global Express jet, number M-VQBI.

Extravagant: A high-ranking crony of Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly uses an undeclared private jet to fly his wife's Corgis to shows around Europe

Luxury: One of the team's 'special managers' was quoted by anti-corruption campaign and lawyer Alexei Navalny as saying the dogs fly in the jet because they aren't comfortable enough when they fly business class

Jet-set: The animals have allegedly already visited Britain, Riga, Prague and Cyprus, and flown in the jet at least eight times. Pictured, one of the prize-winning dogs in Cyprus

Recently the plane was used to chauffeur his wife Olga Shuvalova's Corgis to a show in Windsor, according to Mr Navalny.

Other flights - at least eight - have taken the prized dogs to Riga, Prague and Cyprus, he said.

'Olga Shuvalova, wife of vice premier, has moved her animal breeding hobby to a whole new level,' said Mr Navalny.

'Her Corgis - accompanied by special managers - are flying to dog shows on a private jet.'

He quotes one of these 'managers', called Rita Ehrman, saying on social media that the Corgis do not fly on scheduled planes because 'it's not that comfortable in business class'.

Lounging: Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has already courted controversy in Russia after earlier appearing to mock the families living in extreme poverty

Spoilt: His political rival Alexei Navalny reported the shocking extravagance, urging the Russian population to remember it when casting their votes

Scrubbed up: The prize-winning Corgis are taken all over the world for competitions, he claimed, and also recently appeared at a dog show in Windsor

Show-off: One of the dogs' handlers, Rita Ehrman, allegedly revealed on Instagram that the dogs fly in the private jet because 'it's not that comfortable in business class'

Opposition politician Mr Navalny - who has ambitions to takeover from Mr Putin - said most of his country's citizens had never flown in business class.

He told Russians: 'Admit that you have almost never flown in business class? Or, okay, a couple of times buying tickets, not with money but air miles?

'That's what unites you with Shuvalov's dog: she's also not flying business class. Because she's not comfortable there.'

They started believing they deserve this wealth. Bought castles and mansions, created family coats of arms.

Alexei Navalny

Mr Navalny said the plane - which reportedly does not appear on Shuvalov's declaration of assets - was also used to transport the politician to official engagements at least 13 times in the past year.

In addition, he said, it was used to fly 18 times in a year to Salzburg, near a castle which he has admitted to renting.

Mr Navalny said since the plane is not officially declared by Mr Shuvalov, it must be rented, but, if so, the costs of return flights to the Austrian castle would amount to more than £1million a year.

In comparison, the politician's declared income is £600,000, including an official salary of £108,000.

Mr Navalny accused the Kremlin elite: 'They started believing they deserve this wealth.

'Bought castles and mansions, created family coats of arms - Shuvalov, for example, has owls on his.

'They imagine they're noble....their disorder can be shown in giving a jet ride to their dogs.'

He warned: 'We have 22.9million extremely poor people. 20 per cent of the population are nearly beggars, and this one is spending 40million roubles (£475,000) a year on flights for dogs.'

Mr Navanly added: 'It is not normal, it is immoral, it is insane. You can find a lot of words. For an ordinary person it is not normal, for an official - impossible to imagine.

Prize-winning: Although the jet has been used at least eight times to fly the dogs to their shows, it was reported, it has not been officially declared as being among Mr Shuvalov's possessions

Sight-seeing: Nevertheless, Mr Shuvalov used the jet to fly to at least 13 official engagements in the past year according to his political rival, anti-corruption campaigner Mr Navelny

Sky-high: The politician also reportedly used the jet to fly 18 times to Salzburg in the past year, near a castle which he has admitted to renting

Fancy: The rival politician Mr Navalny insisted that this level of extravagance for an 'ordinary person is not normal, for an official it is impossible to imagine'

Victory: Mr Shuvalov has not commented on the latest allegations about the flights for Corgis. Pictured, Mrs Shuvalova's Corgi, Andvol Tsesarevich

Traveller: Investigations in Russia also established that via a Russian company Mr Shuvalov secretly owns an £11.5million leasehold on a six-bedroom luxury apartment just a few hundred years from Downing Street

'Yes, let us eat less because business class is not enough for your dog.'

He urged Russians to consider the alleged dog flights in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Mr Shuvalov had used the private jet to fly to destinations such as Vladivostok, Sochi and Kazan, he said, providing pictures that he said confirmed the visits.

It is not normal, it is immoral, it is insane. You can find a lot of words. For an ordinary person it is not normal, for an official - impossible to imagine.

Alexei Navalny

It was in Kazan that the controversial vice premier told reporters: 'We were today shown apartments that are [215 square feet] in size.... It seems ridiculous, but people purchase them, and they are very popular.'

Mr Shuvalov has not commented on the latest allegations about the flights for Corgis.

But a staffer for the vice premier is on record as saying: 'Navalny can go to hell... I won't give any comments to scum like him.'

Mr Shuvalov's wife, asked if she had a jet, said: 'I won't tell you that.

'I sometimes fly on charters, sometimes regular flights, sometimes dogs fly on board with me, sometimes dogs fly in cargo in a crate. I have papers on all of that, how they fly, tickets, all that.'

Asked if her family had their own plane, she said: 'No comment.'

Previous investigations in Russia have established that via a Russian company Mr Shuvalov secretly owns an £11.5million leasehold on a six-bedroom luxury apartment just a few hundred years from Downing Street.

The elegant 5,380-square-foot residence at Whitehall Court overlooks the Ministry of Defence and the Thames, and was earlier owned by offshore interests.

Rich: According to Mr Navalny, Russia is home to some 22.9million people living in extreme poverty, and around 20 per cent of the population are 'nearly beggars'. Pictured, Olga Shuvalova

Support: Mr Shuvalov (pictured in a meme mocking his extravagance) faces an uproar for allegedly allowing the Corgis to travel on board his personal Bombardier Global Express jet, number M-VQBI

Mr Navalny said last year: 'For more than 10 years, Shuvalov hid the flat behind anonymous offshores, and now behind a Russian company, instead of openly admitting his ownership.'

Father-of-four lawyer turned politician Mr Shuvalov, 49, is number three in the Russian government after Mr Putin and Prime Minister Dmtry Medvedev, and is in charge of economic policy at a time of crisis caused by Western sanctions, low oil prices and a low value rouble.

A suave English-speaking fixer with a reputation for solving problems for Mr Putin, he headed the successful organising committee for the 2018 World Cup bid.

The ultimate Putin loyalist, he said last year: 'If a Russian feels any foreign pressure, he will never give up his leader. Never.

'We will survive any hardship in the country - we will eat less food, use less electricity or, I don't know, some other things we are all used to.

'But if we feel that someone from outside wants to change our leader, and that it is not our will but the will that is forced upon us, we will be united as never before.'